An intruder poses a pistol on a woman’s forehead. Naked, she kneels next to her spouse, already laughed. Upstairs, their infant is crying. Thieves don’t care. They have only one idea in mind: steal the bitcoins of their target. But that was without counting on the boldness of the captive couple… and a saving intelligent watch.
What to know
- A couple from the Bizard Island in Montreal was attacked in their residence in 2023 by thieves trying to appropriate cryptocurrency.
- A baby was in the house during the attack on great violence.
- One of the thieves pleaded guilty to the Montreal courthouse.
This attack worthy of a Hollywood film took place in June 2023 in a far from luxurious residence of Ile-Bizard in Montreal. It is part of the growing global phenomenon of cryptocurrency attempts, while Bitcoin is now worth around $ 160,000.
One of the authors of this flight is Joe-Marshall Altidort, 22, who recognized his guilt to five counts in mid-July at the Montreal courthouse: introduction by break-in, skilled flight, sequestration, assault causing injuries and use of a false firearm.
Photo filed in evidence
Joe-Marshall Altidort and 2023
His three accomplices, including the driver, were not arrested.
Joe-Marshall Altidort did not know his victims (let’s call them William* and Marie* to preserve their identity). He carried out a contract for the benefit of a sponsor, visibly aware of the Magot held by William in cryptocurrency. Note that William is not part of the criminal environment.
5:24 am June 2023. William leaves his home with a large sum in cash. Her spouse and their baby still sleep upstairs. Immediately, three masked and armed men come out of the bushes and attack it. In the house, we put a knife on her throat and put him in play with a gun.
Photo filed in evidence
One of the thieves, armed with a knife, in front of the residence
“Don’t move. We don’t want to hurt you, ”said a masked attacker, in English.
The thieves allow William to use his cellular to transfer cryptocurrency to them using a QR code on the Binance exchange platform. But William saves time by simulating difficulties in executing the transfer.
In parallel, one of the bandits points its pistol on Marie’s front, then completely naked. He orders him to kneel near his spouse.
Their baby is crying then, alone in his bed. Marie goes back to see him. But a thief refuses that the woman goes down with the infant. He removes the child from the arms and drags it on the ground floor by the hair. We tie her wrists and legs with ribbon.
His spouse takes the opportunity to contact the 911 on his smart watch. Furious, the kidnappers are strokes. In chaos, Marie succeeds in getting rid of her leg ties and fleeing from a neighbor. Meanwhile, William is locked up in the basement, but escapes in turn.
The three thieves then strip without having stolen cryptocurrency. However, they took $ 23,000 in cash and bank treatments, jewelry and luxurious clothing, electronic items and money hidden in a cache in a shower-shower.
Trapped by an infiltration agent
A major investigation carried out by the Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) made it possible to determine that Joe-Marshall Altidort was one of the thieves. The bloodhounds found in him a stolen bag among the victims and a false firearm corresponding to that used by his accomplice.
Photo filed in evidence
A false firearm found at Joe-Marshall Altidort corresponds to the pistol used during the flight.
In detention, Joe-Marshall Altidort found himself in the same cell as an infiltration agent. The offender revealed to him in detail his involvement in this cryptocurrency flight contract. His accomplices were his brother and a friend, he said.
He explained to the agent that his specialty was theft of cars in Ontario and that he believed that he was arrested for launching acid on a man. He admitted to his fellow prisoner was responsible for several fires occurring during the summer.
The hearings to determine the sentence of Joe-Marshall Altidort are scheduled for next October. He remains detained by then.
Me Véronique Warthold represents the prosecution, while Me Ramy El Turabby defends the offender.
Several similar flights
This is not the first case of cryptocurrency to make the headlines. In 2021, a French influencer in cryptocurrency and his colleague were targeted by thieves in a chalet in Laurentides.
The victims claim to have been tied up and beaten by armed thieves. “They put me into play. “You have five seconds to kneel or you are dead”, “said The press A victim in this file, in 2024.
The Montrealer Michael-Elie Moussalem, accused of having orchestrated this ambush, never had his trial, because he stretched in the United States a few days before his appearance in October 2022. He has been targeted by an arrest warrant since July 2024. But according to the plumitif, he has not been arrested since.
Last April, three men were accused of having beaten and tortured a Montrealers for hours to extract US $ 15,000 in cryptocurrency. Thieves would have burst into the apartment of their target in Verdun to force her to transfer her virtual assets to them.
An active influencer in the cryptocurrency, Kevin Mirshahi, was murdered in October 2024 in Montreal, after being removed by kidnappers. However, it is unknown if they tried to steal cryptocurrency. Several accused should have their trial by next year in this case.